Untitled
by TheAnnoyingVoice
Summary: A series of one-shots from a-z.
1. Aftermath

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts and I do not make any profit from this story.

**Author's Note:** So this is basically just a series of one-shots spurred on by the desire to break through my writer's block and get to the ten billion stories I have in progress, haha. I decided I was going to have fun and being creative with this, so I decided to do an a-z series with song titles. If the stories have nothing to do with the song, that's because I'm solely using the word or whatever happens to come to mind while listening to said song.

I apologize to you guys who have me on alert. I had to delete this the first time because the editor screwed with my story, putting a paragraph where it shouldn't have been. I've definitely got to start previewing my stories more often before putting them up...

* * *

**Aftermath  
**  
The little island he, Riku and Kairi always used to go to was silent. The trio hardly went there anymore, wanting to forget everything that happened and try and be normal teenagers for a change. The keyblades, the worlds, the king—all of it was pushed to the side in order for them to rebuild the parts of the lives they missed. Well, Sora and Riku anyways. Kairi at least had the chance to go to school while the boys were still out there.

Nearly a year since the defeat of Xemnas, the worlds were safe and free from heartless. But there was a restlessness in the young hero Sora that even his friends noticed. Even after going back to their normal way of living, he couldn't just push aside the memories of his adventures no matter how much he wanted to. Besides, he had the constant reminder of what happened through the irritable other half of himself that inhabited his heart.

He missed Axel, his best friend and partner, and since Roxas no longer had his own body to cry Sora often cried for him. His heart clenched painfully as Roxas' memories constantly produced images of the clock tower in Twilight Town and Roxas's own friends sitting beside him as they laughed and talked while eating their seasalt ice cream.

There was one particular image that Roxas replayed in Sora's mind that made Sora believe his Nobody felt intense regret. One of ice cream sticks that had the word Winner on it was carefully sealed into an envelope and later placed on Axel's bed. It was Roxas's parting gift to Axel before leaving the castle. But that image would quickly change to a memory of Roxas leaving and Axel stopping him. Usually afterward, Sora knew he would start to cry because he knew the last time Roxas saw Axel was when the redhead had sacrificed his own life in order for Sora to get to the World that Never Was safely.

Lately, Sora found himself walking along the beach on the island where he and the others used to play…before everything happened. Before Riku opened the door in the cave, before the big storm, before he knew he was the Keyblade Master. He stopped, looking out at the ocean, smiling to himself. If he ever had the chance to go back and redo that part of his life, he knew he'd never change any of it. Being the Keyblade Master certainly had its ups and downs, but in the whole, he gained so much from it and it if he was ever needed again, he'd go without hesitation. Because that is who he is.


	2. Because of You

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts and I am not making any profit from writing this story.

**Author's Note:** Because of You is by DJ Bebo. An amazing song. I totally encourage you all to go listen to it if you haven't already. I very much like how this came out, regardless of all the angst. It kinda makes me want to do an AMV...but I have literally next to nothing for skill when it comes to video editing. XD Who knows though, I might surprise myself sometime. One more thing before I shut up and let you guys read. I'm pretty sure I forgot to mention who the last song was by in the first chapter. It was Aftermath by Adam Lambert.

**Pairings:** AxelxRoxas

**Warnings:** Angst. Loads of it.

* * *

**Because of You**

Roxas stared up at the ceiling, face blank, mind blank. It was like he was an empty shell that wasn't capable of even the simple action of blinking. Earlier, however, he was a complete and utter emotional mess. His face, though concealed in the darkness of his bedroom, was the depiction of someone who had been crying for a while. And it was all _his_ fault that Roxas has been reduced to a blubbering mess rather than the ice queen he usually was. _He _promised them a life time of happiness…but then turned and ended that in just one night.

* * *

Axel felt bad for leaving. He loved Roxas with all his heart and more. He'd give his life for the fiery little blond, but…lately spending time with Roxas just…hurt. He didn't know what Roxas was trying to do by acting like he didn't care about him, but two could certainly play that game. He was only leaving long enough for Roxas to come to his senses and realize what he was doing to their relationship. But…Axel had a feeling that no matter how much Roxas might want him back, he'd never go after him.

_Don't give up._

That's what his heart told him. And who was Axel to not comply?

* * *

A week now without Axel. Roxas was like a ghost, drifting through the apartment, mind numbed. He stopped going to work, eventually getting a phone call saying he was fired. He barely ate or slept. With each passing second he was beginning to realize how much he missed Axel, and how much he wanted him back. His heart of ice was slowly melting. It was a shame that it took something like this to make him realize just how much he loved the man he'd been with since high school. But what was he going to do about it now? Axel was gone.

_Go after him._

He shot up in bed, drenched in a cold sweat and shivering. With what little sleep he did get it always ended the same. Dreaming of Axel, of their happy lives before now, then it would shatter and the one thought that nagged him since Axel left spoke softly. Usually he ignored those voices, but he was filled with so much anguish by this time that he finally listened.

* * *

The clock tower. That's where Axel was. He hadn't found a new play to stay just yet, considering the apartment had belonged to Roxas. But he did have munny, so he paid for a hotel room only to take his sleeping bag and camp out. He stretched out on his sleeping bag, arms behind his head, and looked up at the stars. The night he left, Roxas just stood there, face emotionless. It infuriated Axel. He shook the blond, yelling at him, trying to get him to yell back or hit him, something, anything. But those eyes, cold and empty like the rest of him only stared, revealing nothing of what he might be thinking.

And so, this was it. Tomorrow would mark the second week since he left. He only had so much munny and couldn't keep staying in a hotel room. If Roxas suddenly wanted him back, it was going to be too late. Maybe he'd leave town, go somewhere else and settle down there, or travel the world. Axel always did want to see what else was out there.

The clock tower door creaked loudly and Axel pushed himself up, looking over with a frown. Someone was standing there, but it was too dark to see who. He narrowed his eyes and got to his feet, the figure look up, just standing there, before slowly stepping into the moonlight, revealing honey blond hair. Axel's eyes widened.

"You…you came."

Roxas looked away, ashamed. Axel smiled, and in two long strides he was by the blond's sides, arms around him, face pressed into the fluffy hair.

"I've had a lot of time to think. I'm…sorry." Axel straightened up, staring wide-eyed at him. "You're too important to lose. I…" Tears were threatening to fall again.

"Shhh…" Axel wrapped his arms around the shaking blond. "You came for me, Roxas. That's all that matters."

They remained like that for a while longer, Axel holding the love of his life while he cried, voice hitching with a thousand apologies. For the rest of the night, they lay in each other's arms, talking and reminiscing.

The ice queen's heart had shattered, and a new one was born in its place.


End file.
